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America outsourcing its pollution to China

Yet another successful American export product is facing stiff competition from China: pollution. China, where factories are springing up like dandelions and whose labor force is cheap and plentiful, is able to churn out pollution at an unprecedented rate. And the prices! Now you can afford to get emphysema and lung cancer. Once, America was the world leader in the bad-air industry -- so much so, a recent Nova episode credited export of American pollution as a contributor to the disastrous famine in Ethiopia in the 1980s. Ah, those heady days of world power ...

Today, sadly, China has surged ahead in the game and left America in a paltry second place. A recent AP article points to China as the producer of Seattle's hazy new skyline. But a message to all you Grist office workers, from here in Los Angeles: Before you go bragging about your beautiful new orangey red sunsets, remember that down here our smog is homegrown, and yours has that little sticker that says "Made In China."

Bush environmental nominations

The New York Times editorial board is not excited about Bush's two latest nominations for important environmental positions: William Wehrum to succeed Jeffrey Holmstead as head of air pollution programs at EPA, and Dirk Kempthorne to succeed Gale Norton as Interior Secretary. Read the editorial for details. I was struck by this passage:

Opposition to [Wehrum's] nomination has been building rapidly in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where the vote could break largely along party lines. If it does, the nomination may hinge on two senators whose views on Mr. Wehrum are not known: James Jeffords, an independent from Vermont and a consistent critic of the administration's clean air policies, and Lincoln Chafee, an environmentally inclined Republican moderate from Rhode Island.

Wow, I hope Chafee sees some political benefit in siding with environmentalists on this one. Ahem.

Silas Siakor put his life on the line to save Liberia’s forests

The forests of the West African nation of Liberia cover almost 12 million acres, and are home to nearly half of Africa’s mammal species — including the region’s largest forest-elephant population. But these forests, and the communities that call them home, have been ravaged by 14 years of brutal civil war. Liberian President Charles Taylor […]

Meet this year’s winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize

The winners (left to right): Silas Kpanan’Ayoung Siakor, Yu Xiaogang, Tarcísio Feitosa da Silva, Anne Kajir, Olya Melen, and Craig Williams. Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize.  Though the connection between people and their surroundings is undeniable — a serving of clean air, anyone? — defense of the environment is still sometimes considered antisocial behavior. But this […]

Bond and Big Lawnmower

Way back in 2003, Daily Grist noted the nefarious doings of Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) on behalf of Big Lawnmower (seriously).

Turns out he's still up to no good.

Global warming consensus

I'm seeing more and more stories like this Bloomberg piece, about the growing consensus around global warming -- and by "growing consensus," I mean "Republicans finally getting on board." (Of course, as always, our very own Amanda was ahead of the curve on this story.)

My favorite part is the increasingly nervous, defensive quotes from dead-enders. Here's White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman James Connaughton:

Connaughton says activists merely are annoyed that Bush isn't talking nonstop about climate change. "We don't need to say it three times in the same 15-minute speech," he said in an interview.

Yeah. That's why they're annoyed.

And this:

"To those out there saying a federal carbon cap is inevitable, we beg to differ," says Bill Holbrook, a spokesman for [Sen. James] Inhofe, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

I guess they're going to go down swinging. History will not be kind.

Where to look for responses to climate change: environmental secession?

Climate reporter Andrew Revkin wrote an essay in the NYT on Sunday wherein he tries to "bring the debate on global warming down to earth."

While I believe global warming is "breaking news" (it's the fate of Earth we're talking about after all), I'm not as interested in taking another shot at the "debate."

What struck me was the story I found in the graphs alongside the article. Several recent surveys show a fairly low level of concern for global warming and the environment generally among Americans. There is a striking disconnect between these survey results and the real, concrete steps being taken at local and state levels. Mark Hertsgaard points out one such example in the recent Vanity Fair green issue:

LCV hearts Barack

The League of Conservation Voters is having its annual Washington Dinner this Wed.

The keynote speaker? Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

David Ford, biz consultant and forest advocate, answers questions

David Ford. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I am the president and CEO of Metafore, an enterprise nonprofit based in Portland, Ore. How does it relate to the environment? We help businesses align their practices so they achieve positive social and environmental outcomes. In Metafore’s view of the world, “Every business is in […]

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Blaming

Rising oil prices send lawmakers into frenzy of empty gestures The American public will take lots of things lying down — inaction on climate change, ill-conceived wars, erosion of civil liberties — but expensive gas? Hell no! With oil prices topping $75 a barrel, gas prices sneaking up on $3 a gallon, and some East […]